Chapter 103: The Soldiers of the Underworld

The Abyss Soldier, a monster card that caused considerable disruption to the environment upon its debut. Discarding one hand card allows you to bounce any card on the field, serving as an excellent removal effect while also recycling your own cards.

However, due to its restriction requiring the discard of a Water-type monster—Water being a niche attribute at the time—and its inherent card disadvantage, numerous limitations prevented it from being integrated into other mainstream decks as a general-purpose card.

Thus, through the ingenuity of card players, a deck named “Abyss Control” was constructed to maximize the Abyss Soldier’s potential.

As the name suggests, this is a deck entirely centered around the Abyss Soldier. Its best partner is the “Assassin Snake,” which returns infinitely to the duelist’s hand at the start of each turn as long as it’s in the graveyard—and conveniently, it’s also a niche Water-type monster, perfectly supplying the Abyss Soldier with endless ammunition.

Although Abyss Control was once a top-tier deck with notable achievements, it was still historically categorized as a “Non-Chaos Deck” in its era.

Because Chaos decks back then were simply too strong.

Still, Abyss Control had once been top-tier, and You Xuan felt its current strength was still quite solid. Compared to the direct Yazhi power of Chaos decks’ “Dimension Slash,” he found this strategy far more enjoyable.

Take now, for instance. Look—your beetle is practically howling with joy.

Beetle Knight: “You @*%#@”

The sluggish Beetle Guy finally seems to realize the terror of this combo.

On the surface, the Abyss Soldier appears to be just an ordinary monster relying on card disadvantage to clear the field, but in practice, it synergizes with a wide variety of techniques.

Especially effects like “Royal Decree,” which annoy both players equally—when used properly, they can become one-sided Yazhi , doubling the psychological damage inflicted on the opponent.

Just like the Beetle Armor Knight’s current state of mind.

At first, he dismissed the Abyss Soldier as a low-level trash monster. But now, looking at those two cards, they feel like actual death gods from the Abyss, refusing to rest until they drag you into the Underworld.

“Simultaneously clearing the field and opening up space, while also recycling to avoid being locked down by ‘Royal Decree’—what a fascinating combo!”

Jushi’s face, as always, glowed with excitement.

He felt You Xuan’s duels always produced combinations that thrilled him—such creative duels were incredibly fun, and he was growing more eager to try one himself.

“Damn it, don’t underestimate me—my turn, draw!”

Frantically bounced back to hand, the Beetle Knight’s field was now as clean as a blank sheet. His LP stood at only 400, and in the next turn, his trap cards would be sealed by the face-up “Royal Decree,” and even if he summoned a defense monster, the Abyss Soldier would bounce it right back to hand.

If he doesn’t remove those two Abyss Soldiers this turn, he’s done.

“Activate the spell card ‘Dark Temptation’: draw two cards from your deck, then banish one Dark-type monster from your hand.”

“According to the spell’s effect, I draw from my deck!”

The two new cards drawn brought a glimmer of hope to the Beetle’s eyes.

Here it is—if I have this card…

“Then, per ‘Dark Temptation,’ I banish the Dark-type ‘Death Mosquito’ from my hand.”

The Beetle Knight revealed the monster card in his hand; a dark vortex appeared midair, and the card was instantly sucked in and vanished, as if pulled by gravity.

“Then, Normal Summon ‘Resonance Beetle’!”

【Resonance Beetle, ATK 1000】

The Resonance Beetle, having endured repeated back-and-forth bounces, looked exhausted. This was already its third time landing—and not once had its effect activated.

Just drop the bug and win.

“Spell card ‘Hatch’!” the Beetle Knight declared. “Sacrifice one monster on your field to Special Summon from your deck a Level higher Insect-type monster.”

“I sacrifice the Level-4 ‘Resonance Beetle’ on my field!”

The Resonance Beetle dissolved from the field, opening a summoning vortex on the ground.

“Thus, I can Special Summon a Level-5 Insect-type from my deck! I summon this one—”

“—Level 5, Millennium Scorpion!”

Its shell seemed forged from the essence of midnight, pitch-black and gleaming with eerie cold light, its tail swaying with a terrifyingly massive venomous stinger.

【Millennium Scorpion, ATK 2000】

“Now, activate Resonance Beetle’s effect!” the Beetle Knight said. “When this card is sent from the field to the graveyard, add a Level 5 or higher Insect-type from your deck to your hand.”

“Add ‘Demon Plow Beetle’ (Level 8) from my deck to my hand!”

In that instant of retrieval, the Beetle Knight nearly wept—finally, this damn effect activated.

Things are about to turn around!

“Effect of ‘Demon Plow Beetle’!” the Beetle Knight roared. “Banish two Insect-type monsters from your graveyard to Special Summon this card directly!”

“I banish ‘Resonance Beetle’ from my graveyard, and the ‘Resonance Beetle’ discarded in the first turn!”

Watch closely—this is the insect, gifted by the gods, possessing the strongest power—

“—Level 8, Demon Plow Beetle, Summon!”

The earth cracked open; its armored shell, covered in sharp protrusions and grooves, burst forth from the ground with a deafening roar.

【Demon Plow Beetle, ATK 2800】

“Next, Resonance Beetle’s follow-up effect! When this card is banished, send an Insect-type monster from your deck to the graveyard, excluding ‘Resonance Beetle’ itself.”

“I send ‘Skull-Painted Ladybug’ from my deck to the graveyard.”

He sent the retrieved card to the graveyard, but the graveyard zone on the dueling field instantly glowed golden; a spectral image of a ladybug adorned with a skull pattern appeared behind him.

“Effect of ‘Skull-Painted Ladybug’: when sent to the graveyard, restore 1000 LP!”

【Beetle Knight, LP 400 → LP 1400】

Having regained some health, the Beetle Knight immediately rallied and ordered: “Attack! Use ‘Demon Plow Beetle’ to attack ‘Abyss Soldier’!”

Get rid of these Underworld soldiers now!

“Activate face-down card: Trap Card ‘Dimensional Closure,’” You Xuan calmly flipped a card on the back row. “When an opponent’s monster declares an attack, that monster is banished.”

The void shattered; a dimensional rift opened. The Demon Plow Beetle, charging too fiercely to stop, crashed headlong into the other dimension.

Beetle Knight: “Aaaahhh!!!”

Impotent rage.JPG.

This time, instead of just bouncing back to hand, it was outright banished to another dimension?

Can we even play cards properly anymore?

“Then, Millennium Scorpion’s attack! Attack! Kill that idiot!”

This time, no interference—the Millennium Scorpion’s attack landed cleanly. The Abyss Soldier was sliced in half by the giant pincers.

【You Xuan, LP 4000 → LP 3800】

Insignificant.

The attack didn’t fully resolve—another Abyss Soldier remained on the field.

“What a disgusting thing. But when Millennium Scorpion destroys a monster in battle, its ATK increases by 500.”

“Then, I cover two cards face-down. End of turn!”

【Millennium Scorpion, ATK 2000 → ATK 2500】

The Beetle Knight took a deep breath.

On the surface, next turn, the Underworld soldier will bounce his Millennium Scorpion, then directly attack to end the duel—his situation is overwhelmingly dire.

But—

The Beetle Knight’s peripheral vision flickered to the two face-down cards on his back row.

He still had a sliver of hope!

(End of Chapter)